Description
These Baked Sweet Potato Donuts offer a delicious twist on traditional donuts by incorporating creamy mashed sweet potatoes into a tender, spiced batter. Lightly baked rather than fried, they are topped with a rich maple-butter glaze and optional crunchy pecans, making them a perfect treat for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup salted butter (melted)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 1 cup plain mashed sweet potatoes (at room temperature or slightly warmed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon maple flavor or extract (optional)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 6-well doughnut pans thoroughly with cooking spray and set them aside to be ready for batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the light brown sugar, melted salted butter, vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg, egg yolk, mashed sweet potatoes, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring gently and just until no streaks of flour remain to avoid overmixing and keep the donuts tender.
- Fill Donut Pans: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared doughnut pans, filling each well completely. This ensures a full donut shape after baking.
- Bake Donuts: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the donut tops spring back lightly when pressed, indicating they are done.
- Cool Donuts: Remove the donuts from the oven and carefully take them out of the pans. Transfer the donuts to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it just begins to brown, which takes about 3 minutes, bringing a nutty flavor to the glaze.
- Add Glaze Ingredients: Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the brown sugar, milk or cream, and maple syrup. Return the pan to low heat and cook the mixture until it becomes bubbly, about 30 seconds.
- Finish Glaze: Remove from heat again and quickly whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and optional maple flavor until the glaze is smooth and lump-free.
- Glaze Donuts: Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the warm glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Return them to the wire rack.
- Add Pecans: If desired, sprinkle the coarsely chopped pecans over the glazed donuts immediately so they adhere to the glaze.
- Set Glaze: Let the glazed donuts sit on the wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set firmly before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the sweet potatoes are mashed and either at room temperature or slightly warmed to avoid curdling the batter.
- Do not overmix the batter to maintain tender, fluffy donuts.
- Use fresh buttermilk at room temperature for best results and to achieve the right leavening reaction.
- The glaze browns the butter gently to add flavor without burning; watch closely.
- Coarsely chopped pecans add a nice crunch but can be omitted for a nut-free version.
- Donuts are best enjoyed the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
